One thing Disney could learn from Seaworld

[Wendy Pleakley]

Sure it does, you said "They are fortunate to get a year's access to Disneyland for less than the price a tourist would pay to visit for a week or less" but don't let the facts get in the way. Oh, are you now limiting discounts to admission when I was talking about discounts in general? Is that how you'll "win" the conversation, by moving the goal post? Asking a question isn't condescending, you can try to change the direction of the conversation so you can start reporting it but it's not going to work.

Fact, you said "for less than the price a tourist would pay to visit for a week or less", but the cost of 7 days of admission is far less than the purchase price of the annual pass you mentioned.

Fact, tourists get room discounts, free dining, and better ticket pricing with bundle purchase. Fact, these discounts are orders of magnitude greater than what us locals get.

I think you're trying to "win" so hard that you're not even paying attention to what you're saying.

Fact, that makes me lol.

What I wrote was "A tourist will pay more to visit for 5 days, once you factor in flight, hotel, etc.". Not paying attention? I don't think you're even reading what I wrote.

To visit for five days might cost $275 for a park hopper, $300 for a flight, and $750 for a hotel, give or take. That's more than a local pays for a year's admission (without having to pay for airfare and accommodation). That's why I don't sympathize with locals who whine about AP prices. They can go as often as they want for less than what others pay to make a short trip.

 

[mergatroid]

Well at least somebody else has taken the heat off me in this thread, this place

 

[rucifee]

What I wrote was "A tourist will pay more to visit for 5 days, once you factor in flight, hotel, etc.". Not paying attention? I don't think you're even reading what I wrote.

To visit for five days might cost $275 for a park hopper, $300 for a flight, and $750 for a hotel, give or take. That's more than a local pays for a year's admission (without having to pay for airfare and accommodation). That's why I don't sympathize with locals who whine about AP prices. They can go as often as they want for less than what others pay to make a short trip.

Whatever you need to tell yourself to convince yourself you're right. All tourists have to take a flight to Disney Land, and spend $750 on their hotel stay.

 

[Andrew C]

I am beginning to see a pattern on the threads today...

 

[Wendy Pleakley]

Whatever you need to tell yourself to convince yourself you're right. All tourists have to take a flight to Disney Land, and spend $750 on their hotel stay.

It's all opinion, not some issue for which there is a definitive answer. The flight is an example, not a description of what everyone's situation is, obviously.

My opinion is simply that the opportunity to purchase year-round admission, for frequent visitors (to WDW or DL), is something people are lucky to have. The idea that Disney should take a page out of SeaWorld's playbook is dumb. SeaWorld needs to make every effort to attract each and every customer they can get. Disney does not, their current model works.

Why would a company like Disney base their business practices on their far less successful competitor? Answer: they wouldn't.

 

[GrumpyFan]

My opinion is simply that the opportunity to purchase year-round admission, for frequent visitors (to WDW or DL), is something people are lucky to have. The idea that Disney should take a page out of SeaWorld's playbook is dumb. SeaWorld needs to make every effort to attract each and every customer they can get. Disney does not, their current model works.

Why would a company like Disney base their business practices on their far less successful competitor? Answer: they wouldn't.

Sorry, but that just sounds like arrogance (or ignorance) and any business leader who thinks such a thing, is setting themselves up for failure. A good leader is always looking at their competition (below and above) to see what works and what doesn't. The "Not Invented Here" or "It didn't come from us, so it isn't any good" mentality is dangerous and usually leads to being outsmarted and left behind by failing to adapt to changes in the market.

 

[Andrew C]

Sorry, but that just sounds like arrogance (or ignorance) and any business leader who thinks such a thing, is setting themselves up for failure. A good leader is always looking at their competition (below and above) to see what works and what doesn't. The "Not Invented Here" or "It didn't come from us, so it isn't any good" mentality is dangerous and usually leads to being outsmarted and left behind by failing to adapt to changes in the market.

I am sure Disney has looked at what Sea World is doing and said no thanks ...because the fact remains that WDW and DL are in entirely different positions right now than Sea World.

 

[Wendy Pleakley]

Sorry, but that just sounds like arrogance (or ignorance) and any business leader who thinks such a thing, is setting themselves up for failure. A good leader is always looking at their competition (below and above) to see what works and what doesn't. The "Not Invented Here" or "It didn't come from us, so it isn't any good" mentality is dangerous and usually leads to being outsmarted and left behind by failing to adapt to changes in the market.

That's a fair point, there's always room for improvement.

I still don't think it makes sense for Disney to follow this specific example. A lounge makes sense for a company trying to attract and maintain a relatively small local customer base. Not so much for Disney who has thousands of such guests on any given day, and require no more incentive than what they already get.

 

[GrumpyFan]

I am sure Disney has looked at what Sea World is doing and said no thanks ...because the fact remains that WDW and DL are in entirely different positions right now than Sea World.

Sure, they're in a better position financially, and from that standpoint, I completely agree, why would they bother?
But, it doesn't mean that they shouldn't still take note of some things that their competitors are doing and examine whether they should adapt them.

 

[DisneyOutsider]

Sorry, but that just sounds like arrogance (or ignorance) and any business leader who thinks such a thing, is setting themselves up for failure. A good leader is always looking at their competition (below and above) to see what works and what doesn't.

Let's make one thing abundantly clear... Disney does NOT consider Sea World to be their competition, nor are they likely to ever again.

Whatever Sea World is doing for their guests will not effect Disney's policies towards theirs, nor should it.

 

[POLY LOVER]

I thought this was interesting.
Seaworld seems to actually appreciate their Annual Passholders.

http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2015/11/21/1-thing-that-seaworld-could-teach-disney-world.aspx

When I returned from my last trip I received an email AP survey. So they are checking the opinions of the APH.

 

[BuddyThomas]

Oh. This is going to get ugly.

Nothing against your stance, but there is a general, unspoken rule around here:
-You can criticize Disney
-You can criticize Universal
BUT, if you criticize or question Sea World's practices...it usually leads to VERY heated attacks from others, accusations of trollish agendas, and ultimately, closed discussions when things get too out of hand.

So just keep that in mind: Don't agree with Disney? That is just your opinion. Don't agree with Universal? That is just your opinion.
Don't agree with Sea World? You're a troll pushing a political agenda, and you should be banned for life or killed.

(Just going by past observations on the Sea World board).

I love that this thread re-railed itself from the de-rail and got back on subject, so I hesitate to post this, but.........I just wanted to say that I agree with everything you said above. And as for all the "in before the lock" people, please be aware that there are multiple whale threads that are pretty contentious on the Sea World board, many of which have been there since May or before that, which have not been locked. All these people advocating for locked threads just freak me out. Censorship sucks.

And now, back to your regularly scheduled debate about what Disney is doing wrong.

 

[jloucks]

Decided to boycott Seaworld after the whale killed the trainer and I saw the film 'Black Fish'

Oh boy howdy, no you deh-ent!

 

[jloucks]

SeaWorld realizes their AP holders are important because essentially no one else wants to go to SeaWorld consistently.

Everyone wants to go to Disney, so AP holders are looked at as second tier versus higher spending visitors.

This is ultimately what is going on. One visit every 2 - 3 years is enough. Unless you do something to change that.

...not sure what they are doing will work tho.

 

[MinnieWaffles]

You get a significant amount of perks and discounts, a lot more than you get with Disney's AP.

For example, 50% off of guest tickets. I can buy tickets for 6 people for $48 each. Several times they've run promotions where you can bring a friend for free. My kids took a friend each multiple times this year using it.

30% off of tours, big discounts on food and merchandise. I bought the all day dining for $21 per person recently with the discount and a coupon. Yes you can stack them.

Here are 50 reasons.

http://seaworldparks.com/en/seaworld-orlando/pages/50reasons/

Other benefits:

http://seaworldparks.com/en/seaworld-orlando/passmembers/benefits/valuable-benefits/

Did I mention that they're doing a black friday special, buy one AP get one free. I paid less than $400 for my APs this year for four people using a similar deal.

You also get free parking.

Yes, but I would rather go to MK or IOA. They're more interesting parks to begin with.

I haven't been to Seaworld since..maybe 2012? I find it boring. The animal exibits are okay but AK is a better animal theme park. I don't do big coasters so the rides are a moot point.

 

[**Stacy**]

As much as I hate to say it, Disney is in a position to not care whether locals show up or not. I am on a Disney break right now, they are still sending me email and Mickey Monitors asking me to buy another pass...so there is some interest in me, but not enough to offer me any incentives, which is fine, my life is crazy until May when I graduate, even if I wasn't mad about crowds, prices and walls, I wouldn't be able to use my pass more than once or twice. Not too long ago they (Disney) were tagging 3 months onto annual passes AND giving away free birthday visits(or giving you a gift card if you had the AP..that's right Disney gave me back some of my money for my birthday..lol)..and I am pretty sure I was able to get 40% off discounts on merchandise in the parks around the same time I was able to snag a cabin at FW for $137 a night in January 2010. Eventually Disney crowds will level out/shrink and they will either entice me back or I will make enough money where I won't care how much it costs and I will medicate myself heavily to be ok with large crowds.

I personally like Sea World, my family had 2 year APs to SW and BGT, it was a nice change of pace from Disney and a little less overwhelming for my kids when they were younger. I hope Sea World holds on. Any theme park failure makes me nervous about the potential for more to fail, I can't imagine WDW not being there. I found an old pin with my picture on it from Circus World circa 1982, I am pretty sure there is a Target and a Best Buy sitting there now.